Before the season started this year, I was lucky enough to check out the new FORLOH AllClima 3L Rain Jackets and give it a thorough test. I wanted to wear it throughout the rainy Georgia deer season and then give an honest review, so that is exactly what I plan on doing. I am going to highlight everything I liked and didn't like about this jacket and let you know if it is really worth buying it yourself.
If you don't know FORLOH, they are a relatively new hunting brand. They started in 2020 and their brand objective is to make extremely high-quality gear right here in America. A company that makes their product in America is worth celebrating, especially when compared with similar gear from overseas. Like most things that are made in America, they make a quality product with a lot of impressive technology incorporated within.
However, just because I respect the fact that the gear is American made, I still wouldn't use it if it sucks. Let me just say, I was not nice to this jacket. I wore it on a few dozen occasions, in the woods and out. I dodged a few temporary showers in the stand with it, sat through a few days in a constant rain with it on, worked out in the yard with it as a windbreaker, and just tried to test it out as much as possible. Let's get into what I found.
Breathability and Waterproofing
The most important thing about a waterproof jacket is making sure it is waterPROOF! I can say for certain that the technique this jacket is made with is entirely waterproof. Nothing is getting through it. It uses an AIRADIGM coating treatment, which uses a micro-venting pulse plasma technology. That helps treat the fabric on a molecular level, allowing for better airflow and breathability. On top of that, the reverse coil zippers are YKK AquaGuard, further keeping moisture at bay. The zippers are the first thing to fail on most waterproof jackets. They make the material waterproof, but you end up getting wet through the zipper anyway. That is not the case here, thankfully.
The jacket is also very breathable, and didn't make me sweat. This goes back to the material they used, but I can say from experience, not every rain jacket out there is breathable enough to wear in a rainstorm. If you get just as wet from sweat as you do from the rain, what is the point? This jacket even includes zippered vents right under the armpits to increase breathability, and they make the jacket very comfortable during a warm rain like the kind we often have here in Georgia.
Pockets and Durability
Any good outer layer needs a lot of pockets. I am just as guilty as you of bringing way too much junk into the woods with me. The seven pockets on this jacket give me plenty of places to shove that gear into. You get two large pockets (7 x 11 inches) above your hips like you would on most jackets, as well as two smaller breast pockets (8 x 5.5 inches) that are big enough to fit a phone in.
There is also a pocket on the left shoulder, but it is only about 3.5 by 4.5 inches, so it is a little small. I haven't found a piece of my gear that I feel fits well enough in that pocket to regularly use it. Lastly, there is an inside breast pocket on the left side. This is similar in size to the outer breast pocket, and is perfect for a phone or wallet.
One thing that I was most impressed with was just how durable this jacket was. I wore it for an entire season, ripped through briar patches, got it muddy, washed it a few times, and it still looks brand new. I am fairly tough on gear and I certainly wasn't being nice to this jacket, but it held up just fine. That adds a lot of value in my mind. If a piece of apparel doesn't last through abuse or several seasons, it's not going to be worth the cost.
Recco Tracking
While this jacket is chock-full of FORLOH's proprietary technology, one piece of tech that will literally save lives is the incorporated Recco Rescue Technology. Essentially, every one of these jackets comes with an RFID tag in it. For the 3L Jacket, it is right in the top of the hood. If you were to ever get good and lost in the woods, which happens to hunters every year, a rescue team can use a Recco scanner to scan the area from a helicopter or on foot and find you much faster.
As an Electrical Engineer myself, I think this is pretty neat. If you do not know a whole lot about RFID, let me sum it up as quickly as possible for you. RFID tags are not GPS trackers. No one can look at a computer and see where you are. What is in the jacket is a passive RFID tag, meaning it does not require batteries. All the tag really is is a super thin piece of metal that is designed to reflect a signal from a scanner in such a way that it can be identified.
So while you are sitting still in the woods after getting lost and calling for help, a rescue team can scan the area with their Recco RFID readers and get a response from the tag in your jacket. Then they can narrow their search and close in on you much faster. This feature is incredible in my opinion, and makes any piece of gear with Recco technology a great gift, especially for older hunters that are more at risk if they get lost.
It is no secret that FORLOH gear is a bit more expensive than other options. The price on this jacket is $379, but from what I have shared so far, you probably know that I think this is a top notch jacket. If you spend the money on this rain jacket, you will not need to buy another one for many many years. If you buy a cheap jacket, you will be buying another one in a season or two. So, yes, I would highly recommend the FORLOH AllClima 3L Rain Jacket for any hunter or outdoorsman looking for an effective, durable piece of outerwear.
